Our History

Our History

Palo Alto Hardware Inc has been a family owned and operated hardware retailer for over 50 years in the Bay Area. Our current location at 875 Alma in Palo Alto, has been open since 1993 and is consistently recognized by the local community and Ace Hardware Corporation as an exemplary full service hardware store.

Palo Alto Hardware Inc has taken a strong leadership position in all environmental matters. In 1999 Palo Alto Hardware was recognized as the first Green Business by the County of Santa Clara for our conservation efforts at the retail level.

In May of 2000, we began selling the Siemens Earthsafe Solar PV system for homeowners and light commercial use in prelude to our own installation of a 30kw system on our building. Palo Alto Hardware's PV system will produce 98% of our annual electrical demand. With the success of our own system, and the California energy crisis looming over the state, the sales of PV systems has grown ten fold.

We anticipate installing over 100 residential systems before the end of 2001, and currently have 8 commercial sites in the planning phase, which will amount to several hundred kilowatts.

Feel free to stop by the store at 875 Alma to see the Earthsafe PV systems in person.